What are the benefits of “Tea brown pigment” in shou pu'er?
Shou Pu'er tea is widely recognized as a beneficial beverage for human health. This is because after artificial heap fermentation, various health-promoting components are produced in Pu'er tea.
Among these beneficial components, tea brown pigment stands out not only for its remarkable performance but also because its effects target health issues that often trouble modern people.
So, what exactly is “tea brown pigment?”
To understand tea brown pigment, we first need to comprehend “tea pigments.” Tea pigments are substances that give color to the tea infusion, including tea yellow pigments, tea red pigments, and tea brown pigments. The different colors of teas primarily result from the varying types of pigments they contain.
The transformation of tea pigments is closely related to the post-fermentation process of Pu'er tea. Sun-dried Pu'er tea made from large-leafed Yunnan varieties contains over 500 compounds, with polyphenols making up a significant portion, and catechins being the main component of these polyphenols.
During the initial stage of Tea processing, when the leaves are rolled, cell walls break, leading to rapid oxidation of catechins and enzymatic reactions, resulting in the formation of tea yellow and tea red pigments. During the heap fermentation phase, these pigments evolve into tea brown pigments, which increase significantly during the fermentation process.
Therefore, tea brown pigment is a polyphenol polymer. Approximately 80% of tea brown pigment in the water-soluble extracts of Pu'er tea is soluble in water, meaning it can be directly consumed when drinking the tea infusion.
The Health benefits of tea brown pigment are powerful, capable of helping regulate metabolic abnormalities in the body, particularly addressing the “three highs” (high blood pressure, high blood sugar, and high cholesterol) that commonly affect modern individuals.
Firstly, active components like tea brown pigment, which have surfactant-like properties, strongly bind to fats (especially saturated fatty acids) and cholesterol. This binding inhibits their absorption and increases excretion, preventing the intake of high-energy foods and reducing serum cholesterol levels. Water-soluble extracts of Pu'er tea also inhibit key enzymes involved in fat metabolism, thereby reducing the risk of fatty liver, muscle, and free fatty tissue.
Secondly, by regulating cholesterol and lipid metabolism, it can also help regulate sugar metabolism in the blood, providing some auxiliary benefits for those with high blood sugar.
Researchers conducted targeted experiments on the diabetes factor of tea brown pigment, finding that it could inhibit its activity by over 95%. No toxic or adverse reactions were observed over long-term observation. Additionally, tea brown pigment can achieve ideal results in treating multiple targets of common diabetic complications, such as elevated lipids and blood pressure, and organ failure, which has been confirmed through clinical trials.
Furthermore, oxidative stress from free radicals is the greatest threat to skin aging, exacerbated by unhealthy diets and sun exposure.
Studies have shown that tea brown pigment in Shou Pu'er tea possesses the ability to eliminate various free radicals, thus offering antioxidant effects through regular consumption.
Originally published in Pu'er Magazine
June 2025 Issue
Author: Ran Zi | Illustration: Zhu Xiaolv
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